WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Countries must hit China with sanctions over the mass detention of ethnic Uighurs, hundreds of scholars said on Monday, warning that a failure to act would signal acceptance of “psychological torture of innocent civilians”.

Beijing has in recent months faced an outcry from activists, academics and foreign governments over mass detentions and strict surveillance of the Muslim Uighur minority and other ethnic groups in the restive western region of Xinjiang.

In August, a U.N. human rights panel said it had received many credible reports that a million or more Uighurs and other minorities are being held in what resembles a “massive internment camp that is shrouded in secrecy” in the region.

Representatives from a group of 278 scholars in various disciplines from dozens of countries called on China at a news briefing in Washington to end its detention policies, and for sanctions directed at key Chinese leaders and security companies linked to the abuses.